Category: #zapost

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will help train Nigeria’s new tactical force as thousands nationwide continued to march against police brutality and in demand of further reforms, Nigeria’s police inspector general said in a statement on Sunday.

Protests began roughly two weeks ago demanding the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which was accused by Nigerians and groups such as Amnesty International of extortion, brutality and torture.

The police force has repeatedly denied the accusations against SARS, though it said earlier this month that “unruly and unprofessional” officers had been arrested and were facing disciplinary actions

In this video below, Buhari says his government will bring to justice police officers responsible for misconduct:

The new unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, was created to “fill the gaps” left when police disbanded SARS on October 11.

SWAT training will begin on Monday in partnership with the ICRC and “other development partners”, Mohammed Adamu, inspector general of police, said in a statement. Former SARS officers are not eligible to join SWAT, the statement said.

The ICRC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Police said the ICRC would join training on humanitarian laws, police conduct in conflict, and human rights in the use of force, arrest and detention.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, called on protesters to stand down in light of the steps leaders had taken.

But protesters are demanding further protections against the police, including independent oversight and psychological evaluation of officers.

Hundreds joined a prayer march on Saturday in Port Harcourt, and peaceful marches and demonstrations continued in Lagos, Abuja, Warri, Enugu and Makurdi. Supporters launched an online radio station to bolster the movement.

Most demonstrations are now peaceful, after authorities barred police from using force against protesters.

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Mixed mitigation measures must be put in place to avoid a second wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the continent, says Doctor Mary Stephen, Technical officer World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo.

Stephen was speaking to SABC News following a warning by the World Health Organization (WHO) that Africa is experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 infections as countries relax their restrictions.

The mitigation measures include the general population complying with the preventive measures of wearing the face masks, keeping social distancing, regular hand washing, and avoiding mass gatherings.

According to the WHO Africa regional director Matshidiso Moeti, the number of new daily confirmed cases overall has started rising after slowing since mid-July, with a “substantial rise in deaths” confirmed over the past week.

Stephen says, “With regards to the fear for the increase in the number of COVID cases, people are looking at what is happening in Europe and the United States and as you can see as they lifted restrictions on international travel and some of those lockdown measures to reopen the economy. You can see the increase in the number of cases and every country is actually at risk including all countries in Africa. So we need to make sure that we put in mixed mitigation measures in place to avoid a second wave of the outbreak on the continent.”

In the video below, Dr. Mary Stephen speaks to SABC News:

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The youth in Nigeria says it will not back down from its demand for transformation in the justice system. Thousands of young people have taken to the streets of the capital city Lagos against police brutality citing abuse by the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The government there has since scrapped the unit.

Protesters blocked roads bringing the economic hub, to a standstill. At least ten people have died and dozens injured in the demonstrations, which have been met with force by police units.

SABC Channel Africa reporter Collins Nosa Atohengbe says authorities have pledged to hold officers who have committed abuses accountable.

“They arrest people without arrest warrants, they stop you on the way you have your private phone, they take it, they are rummaging through your phone. They see you with a laptop you are a suspect for them.”

“They are going to continue because in one of their explanations that I got was the fact that they do not expect people who benefit from the same system to be able to effect changes they want a complete overhaul. So you can be sure that there’s gonna be a long day of protesting. The government has already begun to make a certain statement towards reformation,” adds Atohengbe.

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The World Health Organization warns that Africa is experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 infections as countries relax their restrictions.

According to the WHO Africa regional director Matshidiso Moeti, the number of new daily confirmed cases overall has started rising after slowing since mid-July, with a “substantial rise in deaths” confirmed over the past week.

But, the Africa Centre for Diseases Controls’ John Nkengasong says the rise in numbers of reported deaths could also be due to an improvement in African countries’ ability to document deaths from coronavirus.

The video below has more details:

Below is Africa’s latest COVID-19 stats:

The post Spike in new cases in Africa up 14% in a week with substantial deaths: CDC & WHO appeared first on SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader..

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